1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to vending machines and, more particularly, is concerned with a wall-mountable vending machine support bracket and assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Coin-operated vending machines are typically supported on a counter or freestanding on a stand. However, various devices have been proposed heretofore in the prior art for mounting a vending machine in other ways. Some representative devices are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,580,207 to Kibbe, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,683,722 and 1,699,476 to Morin, U.S. Pat. No. 1,709,239 to Ver Wiebe, U.S. Pat. No. 1,748,433 to Wetzell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,959,809 to Benjamin, U.S. Pat. No. 2,199,213 to Traphan, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,315,811 to Niewoehner.
More specifically, the Kibbe patent discloses a support bracket for mounting a vending machine to a generally vertical wall. The support bracket has a base fastened by screws to the vertical wall and first and second bracket portions fixedly secured to and projecting forwardly of the base at locations intermediately between upper and lower ends of the base. The first bracket portion has a platform with upstanding lugs that fit into perforated ears on the vending machine. The second bracket portion is located below the first bracket portion and terminates in a downwardly extending end having a vertical open ended-slot snugly receiving an extension of the vending machine. Thus, the lugs of the first bracket portion prevent lateral motion of the vending machine. The slot of the second bracket portion receiving the notched extension of the vending machine prevents upward motion of the vending machine and the platform of the first bracket portion prevents downward motion of the vending machine. The support bracket also has top and bottom hasps hingedly secured to the base at locations spaced from but adjacent to opposite upper and lower ends thereof. The hasps are pivotable between retracted vertical positions and extended horizontal positions relative to a respective top cover and a bottom base of the vending machine and can be placed into interfitting relations with staples secured at upper and lower ends of a central rod of the vending machine and retained in such relations by padlocks so as to retain the vending machine in an upright position on the support bracket.
A major problem with the Kibbe support bracket is that it appears to have an overly awkward and complicated construction that requires an inordinate number of parts just to accomplish the relatively straightforward and simple task of mounting a vending machine on a vertical wall. Therefore, a need still exists for the provision of a support bracket which will overcome the problems associated with the Kibbe device by embodying a much simpler construction while still functioning reliably in mounting a vending machine to a vertical wall.